Jaspreet Kindra
The head of the African National Congress’s religious desk, Cedric Mayson, has attacked other South African church leaders for using the HIV/Aids epidemic to make “political attacks” on President Thabo Mbeki, describing them as “a disgusting ploy”.
Church leaders, including the Archbishop of Cape Town, Njongonkulu Ndungane, who also chairs the Aids Commission of the Council of Anglican Provinces in Africa, have joined hands with the Congress of South African Trade Unions to fight the government over its stance on HIV/Aids.
In a letter sent out to religious leaders and “other friends” this week, Mayson said: “For the past two years some religious leaders and NGOs seem to have used the HIV/Aids epidemic to make personal political attacks on the president of South Africa. I have so far refused to be involved in this disgusting ploy to make political capital out of the suffering of our people, but the thing has gone too far and the latest attacks must be rebutted.”
Responding to Mayson’s letter, Ndungane said: “As religious leaders we address issues of concern to the people. We don’t attack personalities. Our objective is to put a human face to Aids. It’s crazy – during the apartheid era, the National Party used to call us ‘the ANC in prayer’.”
Ndungane revealed that early this month he had received a letter from Mayson in his capacity as head of the ANC’s religious affairs commission expressing concerns on behalf of the party.
The letter arrived after Ndungane was quoted in the Mail & Guardian as calling for the Medical Research Council (MRC) report on mortality trends in the country to be released. The government and the ANC have refused to accept the MRC report’s finding that Aids is the country’s biggest killer.
Ndungane said: “Reverend Mayson claimed in the letter that there is widespread concern in political and church circles about how I see my role and how others should relate to me.
“He said various structures have been set up for cooperation between church leaders and sectors of the government, including direct contact with the president through Reverend Frank Chikane. He seemed to feel that most religious leaders were opting for this route.
“He said the ANC and the government were refraining from attacking me or the Anglican Church through the media and asked for a meeting to explain my position.”
Ndungane said the letter arrived while the Anglican synod of bishops of the Province of Southern Africa – which he also leads – was meeting in Bloemfontein two weeks ago. He shared it with the bishops, who decided to respond to it jointly.
“In their response to Reverend Mayson, the bishops said they were more than a little surprised and mystified by the contents of his letter.
“They reminded him that I have always expressed my readiness to enter into dialogue and to bring about greater understanding. They have asked Reverend Mayson for documentation to substantiate his claims to help me prepare for the meeting.
“The bishops also pointed out that the Anglican Church has experienced difficulty in communicating not only with the ANC, but with many levels of national and provincial government.”
Ndungane said he was prepared to meet Mayson, after the latter supplies the documentation which had been requested. The other Anglican bishops would also be present.